Confederations Cup Preview: Tahiti - Nigeria

By Alec Fenn

The Africa Cup of Nations champion has seen its preparations hampered, giving the small Polynesian island a glimmer of hope of causing an upset

One is Africa's leading nation with vast experience of international competition, while the other is a 138th-ranked island with a population of just 178,000.

Those two statistics alone mean there should be a vast gulf in class between the two sides on Monday, as they contest their opening Confederations Cup fixture.

But with Nigeria troubled by a dispute between the squad and the nation's football federation, Tahiti will hope to pull of one of the great shocks of international football.

It will be buoyed by the fact the Super Eagles are without Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Kalu Uche and Ogenyi Onazi through injury, while hoping center back Nicollas Vallar recovers from an ankle injury in time to aid their cause.

DID YOU KNOW?

Nigeria qualified for the tournament after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso.

The Super Eagles appeared in the original version of the competition - the King Fahd Cup back in 1995.

Nigeria beat Japan 3-0, drew 0-0 with Argentina and 1-1 with Mexico in that tournament - meaning it remains unbeaten in the Confederations Cup.

Tahiti is ranked 138th in the world - two places better off than Afghanistan.

The Polynesian island likes to keep it in the family. Alvin, Lorenzo and Jonathan Tehau are brothers, while cousin Teaonui also plays for the national side.

Tahiti plays its home fixtures at the 10,000-seater Stade Pater stadium.